What sites are you using the most currently for supplies+why

[Neko]

I was wondering what vendors you guys are getting your glass supplies from these days. when urgency isnt such a priority i will go back to using Mountain cuz i love their customer service and they have good prices but being in CA,it always takes 7+ days to get anything i order. The place i use currently often upgrades my order to overnight for free just because theyre located only a couple hours from here but the last order i got from them the tubes where completely scratched up.Ive never gotten a scratched tube before and i first noticed it in the flame and couldnt "melt it away". i was pissed off but i understand shit happens so i called them and they were really cool about it sent new ones out asap and let me keep the scratched ones. new ones get here all wrapped individually and they still have scratches down the lengths of them. Im only an hour or so from LA i was wondering are there places where u can go pick out your own tubes? I could also travel up to the bay area, any reccomendations? ****to sum it up What sites are you using the most currently for supplies+why,and if you live in LA/Bay area what local places could i go pickout glass from. Thanks in advanced

[Skipjack]

I bought some glass from an artist, who said he orders his glass from EU glass and picks it up at their California warehouse in Compton, CA to avoid shipping costs. (1195 West Victoria Street, Compton, CA)

You mention driving up to the bay area, so I assume you mean the San Francisco Bay Area, although I've heard an area of LA is referred to as the Bay Area. Anyway, up in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can go to C & R Loo in Richmond. They do not have a showroom, so to choose glass, you walk through the warehouse. They moved locations a couple of years ago, so don't have as much room as they used to, and the last couple of times I visited, I wasn't looking for borosilicate, so didn't notice what their current stock looks like. (C & R Loo, 1732 Wright Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804)

Sundance is probably further than you would want to travel. It is in Paradise, north of Sacramento. I've considered taking a trip to buy tubing and rod in bulk. They have a regular website < www.sundanceglass.com > and a clearance website < www.clearanceit.com >. I've been very satisfied with their mail order business, but have never found time to make the trip to their store.

There are a couple of places in the East Bay. I've only dealt with them trying to get some Schott-AR (COE 90) tubing and rod (unsuccessfully), but their regular orders are borosilicate. American Laboratory Supply ( < http://www.generalglassblowing.com/HTML/ALS2index.html > 1033 Ohio Avenue, Richmond, CA) is a place for which you might try to get some information. Their setup is a warehouse with no separate showroom, but I was only there to speak to someone in the office about ordering glass, so don't know if they will let you pick and choose through their stock. There is also Adams & Chittenden ( < http://adamschittenden.com > 2741 Eighth Street, Berkeley, CA), which was recommended to me by the Schott office in New York as a local supplier, but I don't believe they sell rod and tubing, and, in fact, I think they get some of their stock from American Laboratory Supply.

[Neko]

first off thank you for such a thorough response, +1rep. I should of mentioned that the site i was using (which is Sundance by the way) only carries schott tubes and im looking to buy simax heavy/extra heavy wall. Gonna check out C&R loo when i get a chance to make it up to SF i think ive heard them mentioned somewhere on here before

[Skipjack]

Just so you don't waste time ...

I believe that C&R Loo only carries Schott Duran. That's what is listed on their old website and in one line of the front page of their new website (they are still setting up a new website after their move).

American Lab lists Schott Duran and Schott Boro Artistic. They also mention Corning Pyrex. I can't find out what they have in stock on their website, so I think the only way to find out is to call.

Adams & Chittenden say they do use some Simax in their work; however, whether or not they have any to sell is another thing.

This place is way up north and the drive isn't practical, but if you want to order Simax from some place closer, Glass House in Arcata has good reviews: http://www.glasshousesupply.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi?cart_id=344494.31114*Af19G2&product=Simax_Heavy_Wall . I've only ordered miscellaneous fittings at a good price from them, and don't know about their glass.

These people have very good reviews in old TalkGlass posts, but don't list Simax in their products:
West County Glass Art & Supply
1382 Gravenstein Hwy. S. Bldg. D
Sebastopol, CA 95472
I wouldn't consider going there because of the traffic going to the Golden Gate bridge, but if you're going to Richmond, I might take that route.

Here's something in the LA area:
Pacific Art Glass
Address : 125 West 157th Street Gardena, CA 90248
Phone : (310) 516-7828 or (800) 354-5277
I knew of them because of glass fusing supplies, but I see they also have boro rod and tubing. They only have Schott (for clear glass), but maybe you can do some hands on shopping there to pick and choose your glass.

[MastahGlass]

*Canadian buyer
I order as much as I can from :artistryinglass.on.ca : because they have cheap and fast shipping to my door. However they are limited and have high prices for some items, which causes me to,

Goto mountainglass.com for gong joints and golden gate tube however,

I also use abrimagry.com for some tubing for their better shipping price then mountain, however they are limited in color tube options that mountain can supply.

3 places I order from.